England in Pot 1 for Euro 2016, meaning they'll avoid Spain, Germany, Portugal and Belgium

Roy Hodgson will want to avoid Italy

ITV will not cut to adverts after the national anthems in a mark of respect to the Paris terror attack victims (Getty Images)

England will be in Pot 1 for the Euro 2016 draw that will take place on Saturday 12, December.

That means the Three Lions will avoid hosts France as well as other high ranking teams such as Spain, Germany, Portugal and Belgium in the group stages.

However, progress to the knockout stages will be by no means guaranteed, with Italy among the six teams in Pot 2.

England will also avoid a Home Nations group and can only draw one of Wales, Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland, who have all been placed together in Pot 4.

• Pot 1: Spain (holders), Germany, England, Portugal, Belgium

• Pot 2: Italy, Russia, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Ukraine*

• Pot 3: Czech Republic, Sweden*, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary*

• Pot 4: Turkey, Republic of Ireland*, Iceland, Wales, Albania, Northern Ireland

* team qualified via play-offs (hosts France will be top seed in Group A)

The pots were based on coefficient points, with 20 per cent weighting given to Euro 2012 qualifying and tournament results and 40 per cent each to qualifying and tournament results from the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016 qualifying.

Ukraine, for example, are below Wales in the Fifa world rankings and needed the play-offs to qualify for France but have been better over a longer period of time so were placed in a higher Pot.

Temas will be drawn into six groups of four with the top two in each group plus the four best third-placed teams advancing into the last 16.

The group stages take place from 10-22 June 2016, with the knockout stages running until the 10 July final.

The draw takes place at 5pm (GMT) on Saturday, 12 December.